


In Her Eyes

by 420Papyrus



Category: Original Work
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-20
Updated: 2016-01-20
Packaged: 2018-05-15 02:32:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 875
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5767903
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/420Papyrus/pseuds/420Papyrus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In her eyes, the forest had never dimmed, only grown old with her.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In Her Eyes

'In Her Eyes'  
Her eyes swept over the sea of trees, nothing more than bark and loose leaves falling from their branches to be seen. It looked dull to anyone. The grass was sparse from the boots that had trampled upon it weeks, years, decades before she had even come to live there. Mud instead coated the entrance and many paths, freshly damp from the rain that had passed through just a few hours before. The trees bent at odd angles, limbs broken and falling from the thicker trunk, or lying about in a weak, last attempt at preserving the forest from unsolicited visitors. The leaves no longer crunched beneath the feet of those who ignored the trunks, they instead stuck to the bottom of your shoe and mushed down into the ground. Underneath the thick brush of what leaves were left, the forest floor was left cold and wet.   
Amongst the trees was little color, if any at all. Everything was greys and sickly yellows, perhaps a few spots of green should you happen upon an evergreen; but even those looked pale. Bushes were left bare after the creatures, long gone from these woods, picked the berries that grew from them.   
She looked upon the forest with eyes solemn and cold. He remembered the lush greens that looked painted with a stunning shade unmatched by any other. The grass growing in tall tufts, soft under bare feet, was burned deep within her memory. She remembered heavy, spring thunderstorms roaring overhead as she bounded towards home, not daring to pass up the chance to leap into puddles as she passed them.   
She remembered feeling the wind on her face, a brilliant reward for climbing to the top most branch of a tree, where she could gaze out upon every tree for miles, see every gap in the dense woods and know there was a pond, recall her memories. Every chirp of a bird or call of a young deer to it’s mother was the music she had fallen asleep with. She remembered youth, where everything grew bright and happy, where life was not yet a burden. She remembered freedom.  
The soft sound of wood upon wood were the only sounds at that house as she rocked back and forth. The forest had long ago gone quiet. Now there was only a soft, unsatisfying sound of wind rushing along the leaves, as if the very air wished nothing more than to hurry along, and not have to look down on the sad sight. Blue eyes gone grey remained, looking at the remains of what she loved with pity, regret. Perhaps she could have done more for this. Maybe given the place a few more years, months in the least.   
A heavy limb feel from within the dark woods. Not even birds scattered from the tree tops. The once lively place was now undeniably dead. Any animal knew better than set foot inside.  
A sigh passed her lips. Old, worn hands lay in her lap. A pair of jeans that had seen the world rippled at the ankles as the cold air blew past her. She rose to her feet.   
She tore her eyes away from the sad sight of the woods for but a moment, finding her footing down the rickety stairs on tired feet. Soft, pale grey hair was tucked behind her ear to keep out of her face, but otherwise was swept along with the wind. She didn’t mind.   
Coming to the last stair, she toed off her shoes, leaving them to be found by anyone who may later find beauty in this place. Her toes found the grass and dirt. She felt it grow, becoming softer beneath her feet. She took her time.  
As she neared the forest, the wind began to die down. It seemed to grow warmer with her presence. She had returned after so many years, finally come to stay. She paused at the entrance, resting her hand on the bark, running her thumb along the rough and beaten edges. She smiled and continued inside.   
Soon, she was too deep to be seen from the outside. She had returned home, and would never leave again. The grass began to sprout where it had earlier refused to grow. The leaves dried, crisp and ready to be swept into a pile, jumped on and played with. The trees did nothing more than turn a darker shade of brown. The cherry trees blossomed in tribute. Bushes became thicker, dense and filled with berries.   
As this happened, the darkness of the forest remained, keeping its secrets and memories contained within.   
Things slowed. Everything had been restored to a new beauty, more lush and green than before. The shoes left on the step stood out from the new colors, grey and tattered themselves. The wind rushed passed them, knocking one over as if in protest, willing them to brighten.  
In her eyes, this is how the forest had always appeared. In her eyes, it had never really dimmed, only grown old with her. And no one was around to hear the soft, sad sigh that echoed within the forest.  
The woods sprung to life once more, awaiting the next companion in life, and through death.


End file.
